Steam engines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. HONIGMANN.

METHOD OF DRIVING STEAM ENGINES. No. 340,718. tented Apr; 27, 1886.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. HONIGMANN.

METHOD OF DRIVING STEAM ENGINES. No. 340,718. Patented Apr. 2'7 1886.

(vac-en r61 2" UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIQE.

MORITZ'HONIGMANN, OF AIX-LA-CHAPELLE, GERMANY.

METHOD OF DRIVING STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340.718, dated April 27, 1886.

Application filed November 14, 1885. Serial No. 182,794. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,MoRITZ HONIGMA'NN, of Aix-la-Ohapelle, in the Empire of Germany, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Generating Steam for Motive Power, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the generation of steam for driving steam-engines by the heat evolved by the absorption of water-vapors into a liquid as a solution of caustic soda-having a high boiling-point.

The invention consists in a certain improvement-,hereinafter described and claimed,in the apparatus for such generation of steam,whereby greater economy is obtained.

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view illustrating the application of my improvement to locomotives, representing the boiler, the principal parts of the engine, and a concentrating-vessel for reconce'ntrating the lye or heat-absorbing liquid. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view illustrating the application of the invent-ion to a stationary engine, and showing an engine with boilers and concentrating apparatus.

I will first describe Fig. 1.

S \V \V designate the soda steam-boiler, coir sisting of a cylindrical structure divided into three compartments, of which the middle one, S, constitutes the sodavessel containing the soda solution or other liquid having a high boiling-point, into which the exhauststcam from the engine is absorbed, and the two end compartments XV \V constitute the water-spaces in which the steam used in the engine is generated, the said end compartments being connected by tubes S, running through the sodavessel S. The structure S \V \V is mounted on wheels, like an ordinary locomotive-boiler.

O designates the engine-cylinder, the induction-pipe 'L of which takes steam from one of the compartments \V of the soda-boiler, and the eduction-pipe e of which conducts the exhaust-steam into the liquid or solution in the soda-compartment S of said boiler.

N designates the concentration vessel or boiler, mounted on a carriage or truck,which is connected with the carriage or truck on which the boiler S \V is mounted. This concentrating-boiler is multitubular,like an ordinary locomotive-boiler, and provided with a furnace, R, and smoke-stack F. The said concentrating-boiler Njllld soda-compartment S of the soda-boiler are connected at their hottoms by pipes L and a pump, I, for transferring the spent solution from S to N, and they are connected above by a pipe, L in which is a float-valve, M, for returning the solution to S after reconcentration. The steam produced by the reconcentration of the lye in the concentrating -b0i1er N is conveyed to a distributingchamber, k, through the pipe L and check-valve o, and is injected through nozzles (2 into the water-tubes S of the waterboiler, so as to produce a rapid circulation of water through the said tubes. The heat from this steam is transmitted through the said tubes to the surrounding soda solution in the boiler S, thus assisting to concentrate the said solution and generate steam therefrom. The steam generated from said solution,passing off through the pipe L, escapes at the blast-pipe B in the chimney F and increases the draft of the furnace R. The lye is pumped constantly or periodically by the pump 1 through the pipe L from the soda steam-boiler into the concentratingboiler,whence the concentrated lye runs back to the soda steam-boiler through the tube L and float-valve M. The pipe L is provided with a valve, h, to be closed when the engine is running without a fire and when the generation of steam in N is stopped. The concentration of thelye may, however, be can ried onin N during the working of the steamengine by means of the soda steamboiler.

The advantage of this invention consists in the simplification of the working and the economy of fuel, as the same steam is used twice for the working of the engine: first, it becomes absorbed by the soda'lye, and then, after reevaporation by means of the fire, it is forced under pressure into the water of the soda steamboiler; A further economy can be obtained by means of an apparatus such as is shown in Fig. 2, which I will now describe. The con centrating-boiler N, heated by a furnace, is fed continually with sodalye by the pipe 1*, and produces steam under pressure, which is injected through the pipe L into the waterin the water-vessel \V of soda steam-boiler N", a check-valve, o, preventing the return of the water to the boiler N. The soda steamboiler N is provided with a set of bent water-circulating tubes, S, the steam being conveyed to a distributing-chamber, K, from the pipe L, and injected through nozzles (1 into the said watertubes S. The soda steanrboiler works the steam-engine D with the steam generated in V and passed through the pipe L the exhaust-steam passing back into the soda-compartment N of' the said boiler through the pipe L and the steam which is not here absorbed by the soda escapes through the pipe L, provided with the valve o", into the water-space of a second boiler, XV", which con-. tains a systemof pipes containing soda-lye. As the soda solution in N is in cacao, the temperature of V7 is so low that the inflowlng steam is absorbed, and the absorption heat 1s used for the concentration of the said soda. The pipes L and cheek-valve if serve to connect the chamber N with the vacuum-chamher which surrounds the tubes of the multitubular condenser XV". The vacuum is produced by the condensation in NV" of the vapors from N and the pump 1 returns the condensed water to the steam generator V through the pipes Z and valve h, the cook 76" being employed for letting in water or letting off a surplus, the same water being always used for the generation of steam. A pump, P, pumps continually or periodically lye from N through the pipes Z and Z into the concentrating-boiler N, whence it passes through a self-acting float-valve, m, and the pipe Z into the soda steanrboiler. The float-valve m and pipe L connect the water-compartment XV with the vacuum in XV. Similarly, the lye is drawn out from the'soda steam-boiler through a valve, m and the pipe Z into the boiler N. It will now be readily seen that the concentration is effected independently of the working of the engine. The steam is generated in about equal quantities in N, N", and N. If the fire in N evaporates seven kilograms of water per kilo of coal, then the whole of the evaporation is 3X7:2l kilos; but as concen trated soda is equivalent to power, since during the working of the steam-engine the soda absorbs the exhaust-steam and generates steam under pressure by the heat developed by absorption, the fuel used for the working of the steam-engine is, by means of this apparatus, only about one-third of that used by an ordinary engine. This process can only be worked by making use of the invention which is the subject of my United States Letters Patent No. 324,696, dated August 18, 1885, consisting in the concentration of lyes in the soda steamboiler by means of steam under pressure, which is conveyed into the water of the steam-generator, whereby the changing of the lyes from one boiler to the other was avoided.

By the present invention the concentrating apparatus and the soda steam-boiler form one apparatus, and the engine can be worked with or without fire.

It is to be noted that this invention carries out quite a new mode of operating the soda point is about 150 centigrade.

steam-boiler,which permits of working with a low boiling-point of the lye of about from 140 to 155 centigrade, whereas hitherto the high boiling-points of over 200 centigrade have always been used. To enable the use of these low boiliiigiioints, the atmospheric boilingpoint of the lye must be lower than its telnperaturc. For instance, in Fig. 2 the temperature of the lye of the soda steam-boiler is 165 centigrade; but its atmospheric boiling- There is therefore an overpressure of at least onc-half atmosphere in the soda vessel. The overpressure decreases a little the effect of the steam-engine; but this disadvantage is eouir terbalanced by the advantage that a lye with a lower boiling-point can be used, allowing the use of a doubleand triple effect concentration.

The boiling-points of the lye are shown in the following table:

Soda swam-boiler.

. i \Vater-bniler. i l' |Soda -l ye at the sodmboiler; l i niosp h erie therefore, also,

I i. in the exhaust- Overmessure. 'lemperature. bmhnv 1mm This new mode of working is comprised in the present invention.

Although soda-lye has been mentioned, it will be understood that any other solution having a high boiling-point may be substituted, and that, instead of a soda steam-boiler such as is herein described, any other vessel can be employed wherein the exhaust-steam is absorbed in a solution having a high boiling-point and surrounding a steam-generator.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination,with asoda steam-boiler comprising a vessel for containing a solution of high boiling-point,into which GXhZLUSiJ'StGHJD is absorbed, and a generating-vessel for eontaining water from which steam is to be generated by the heat produced by such absorption, of an evaporating-vessel for the reconeentration of said solution, and a pipe connecting said evaporating-vessel and said generating-vessel, substantially as herein described, for conducting the steam generated in said evaporating-vessel into the waterin the said generatingvessel, and so utilizing the heat of said steam to assist in evaporating the solution in said soda steam-boiler, and at the same time utilizing the water of said steam to partly supply the steam generating vessel of said boiler, as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the soda steamboiler comprising a vessel for the steanrabsorbing solution and a generating-vessel for the water for generating steam by the heat evolved from said solution, of an evaporatingvessel for reconcentrating the said solution, a steam-pipe leading from said evaporating-ves sel into said generatingvessel, and a check valve in said pipe to prevent the return of the water from the said generating-vessel to said evaporating-vessel, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with the soda steamboiler comprising a vessel for the steam-absorbing solution and a generating-vessel for the water for generating steam by the heat evolved from said solution, of an evaporatingvessel with a heating-furnace for reconcentrating said solution, a steampipe leading from said evaporating-vessel into the soda steamboiler, for heating both the water and solution in said boiler, and a steam-pipe from the vessel containing the steam-absorbing solution to the chimney of said furnace, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

4. The combination, with the solution-vessel of the soda steam-boiler and an evaporating apparatus for reconcentrating the said solution, of a pump and connections for transferring the solution from the said vessel to the said evaporating apparatus, and a pipe between said vessel and said evaporating apparatus for the return of the solution in a concentrated state to the said vessel, and a float valve in the latter pipe for regulating said return, all substantially as herein described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MORITZ HONIGMANN.

\Vitnesses:

G120. F. LINCOLN, Jon. HEGKMANNS. 

